Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things To Him be the glory forever. Amen. ~ Romans 11:33-36 (New American Standard Bible)
One year ago, I was auditioning for ballet programs at three colleges, and struggling mightily with some puzzling medical problems. Last February, I started to make plans to attend my 3rd choice school, and by April I decided to give up my scholarship to college and take a year off because of the medical problems I was ( and am still) having. This past December I injured my right knee, completely taking me out of ballet and further confirming that I will not be a professional dancer.
This year, God has been teaching me a lot--I mean A LOT-- about patience and contentment. Last spring I didn't understand why God would take something as precious as ballet away from me and why I was being forced to delay college (something I had looked forward to since my sisters left home). Now, I feel so fortunate to be able to see already just how much God has been and is working in my life this year. He has shown me that what I wanted was not in His plan, and through my disappointment and struggles He has provided for me in so many wonderful, unexpected ways. First, I have been blessed this year by becoming acquainted with some wonderful Christian people who I am delighted to call my friends. It has been such an encouragement to me to have good Christian fellowship! Second, since injuring my knee and being forced to lay aside my dancing for the time being, I have been provided with opportunities to play my viola again. This has already proved to be quite enjoyable for me, not to mention helpful in preparing me for my upcoming auditions. And third, I received my acceptance letter today to a college that I fell in love with as soon as I heard about it. It has many, many classes that are of interest to me and opportunities to pursue some of my other interests, including opportunities to continue to dance. I intend to major in English lit, and this school seems to have a wonderful program in that area. It also has a good classics program, and it offers French. Things can change in an instant, but right now everything seems to be falling into place for me to go to this school next fall. I'm so excited, I can barely sit still.
God is gracious, and I don't deserve such wonderful gifts! I am so profoundly humbled by how He has provided for me and am grateful that His will is not mine. Thank you, Lord!
6 comments:
oh my dear Hannah. :)
I love your attitude and ability to see God's hand and blessing in your life even through circumstances that seem far beyond your understanding. He is so good and I know he has used this year to shape and mold you into a beautiful woman who desires to trust Him. I cannot wait to see what He has planned for you!
I am so thankful for the opportunity I have had to know you better this last year! :)
Nice redesign sis :)
Thank you, Charissa! You have been and continue to be an excellent role model for me, and I'm very grateful to God for the blessing of your friendship!
Thanks, Ryan. It's a little nifftier than the default color schemes that are available on here.
Hannah, I normally read for an hour or less each day. This will make for 30-45 pages per day. For fast readers, that can be 50-90. Done consistently, anyone with thirty minutes can pull off 800 pages per month.
One the habit is established, things become easier. I have a few methods that helped me get started. First, read from several books daily, with very different themes. Switch between these after each chapter; maybe 20 pages of one book, ten of another, and then take a break. Later on or before going to bed, read 15 pages of a third book. This helps one make progress while coping with limited retention and attention span. Ironically I picked this idea up from watching my mother watch five sitcoms in a row. Her willingness to sit still for several hours came from the constant change of subject.
However, as you know, the volume of one's reading matters little unless it is applied, which is usually more challenging than the reading itself.
PS: I'm glad your dad reads. I'm always trying to get mine to, but his mind is so fickle. My life is a fight against the nature I must have inherited from him!
Thanks for visiting.
Dude...her dad doesn't just read.
He is a human copy machine and all the words from his thousands of books come into his head via some sort of superhuman osmosis.
He's also a serious doctor about it: no marking, no spine-breaking. His books look like he's never touched them and yet he could find exactly what he wanted in any of them.
If in my lifetime I could read half of what that man has read I wouldn't NEED to go to seminary.
HANNAH: BLOG MOR!
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